I think the relative lack of comment on Iran from Bush was good news. This guy is the figurehead of the insane-neocon-global-domination-gang who have proven to us that they'll say or do anything to advance their agenda.

There was a small chance that Bush would have used yesterday's pulpit to deliver a fire-and-brimstone sermon against Iran; a new front in the Global War on Terror.

Had he done so, I think it would have been time for most of us to pack our bags and seek accomodations elsewhere.

Fortunately, he didn't.

He's got two years left.

Presumably if he wants to hit Iran, he is going to need to prepare a skeptical electorate rhetorically for a new adventure.

He chose not to last night.

That's good news.

With the neocons beating the "strike Iran" war drum, I wonder if there isn't an attitude within the administration saying that "we, the forces of good only have two years before we're swept away by the next administration - an administration that may not have the courage to act." They might be looking at 2009 - 2016 being a possible Democratic isolationist period during which no worthy muscular foreign policy would be conducted. If they truly believe that Iran is going to produce a nuclear weapon sometime in the next 10 years they may be able to convince themselves that they have no other choice but to act now.

How would an attack on Iran not devolve into a regional war? If we strike Iran, isn't Hezbollah poised and ready to start raining Katyushka rockets down onto Israel again? If Hezbollah starts that again, won't Israel be forced to resume pounding Lebanon? In the face of Hezbollah acting aggresively towards Israel, would not both Israel and the US view Syria as a potential target?

Somebody with access to Bush needs to tell him to pause and step back from the abyss. Who has such a voice?

Seriously...

Her amazing and fantastic gift should be considered in a vacuum...

As far as the relationship between the organization she funded and the students it serves is concerned, her personal history and baggage is irrelevant.

A wealthy, generous and brilliant person has done something that only the largest global institutions have been responsible for in the past. She did it not for her own vanity but explicitly and realistically for the benefit of the young women who have been recruited as students.

There are some American personalities that transcend petty supermarket tabloid gossip. Oprah Winfey is operating at a level so far beyond any mouthpiece that criticizes her, that one might attempt to criticize her through this endeavor is absurd.

Go Oprah!

I am reminded of James Watt's decision to replace the Beach Boys with Wayne Newton for the Interior Department's July 4 celebration.

I've seen him use this precise rejoinder on several other occasions when he's been confronted with not speaking Farsi or Arabic. It worked before!

Thanks for writing and sharing this, Mr. Raut.

Stimson should be publicly rebuked by Gates, Bush and leaders of both political parties. He should then submit his letter of resignation to Gates.

What a sad, hateful little man.

It is astonishing that he appears to actually believe the stories he is telling. Yes, Dinesh - you've figured us liberals out... We like Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi because we think that Osama bin Laden likes them and therefore won't attack us as long as we keep them in positions of power.

I am looking forward to seeing which extreme right-wing nut cases will embrace this book publicly.

Here's another one:

http://www.obamatruth.org/

The wingers are spreading this far and wide along with the claim that Hillary's team is behind it.

If it wasn't so cruel it would be comical. As it is it is terribly sad and upsetting.

OK, Kerry! Be kind to us and let us in on the joke.

What is the URL to the post where you mistook a clip from Reno 911 for the real thing! We all want to know!

I consider Amanda a friend and I'm disappointed that they succumbed to the right wing outrage machine.

Get over yourself, Donohue.

I must confess that Edwards has earned a great deal of respect from me for how he handled this. Bravo.

There's no question that Marcotte's rhetoric has been controversial. It is also confident and brave. I'm so impressed that I'd like to send my daughter to intern with her.

There have been so many good people in the public eye beaten down by rightwing lynch mobs feigning hurt and outrage over these past few years. I hope this event signals a shift in the standard political response to this type of affair.